A/HRC/RES/21/6
human rights-based approach to the implementation of policies and programmes to reduce
preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, 1
Convinced that increased political will and commitment, cooperation and technical
assistance at all levels are urgently required to reduce the unacceptably high global rate of
preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, and that the integration of a human rightsbased approach can contribute positively to the common goal of reducing this rate,
1.
Requests all States to renew their political commitment to eliminate
preventable maternal mortality and morbidity at the local, national, regional and
international levels, and to redouble their efforts to ensure the full and effective
implementation of their human rights obligations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and
Development and its review processes, including the commitments relating to sexual and
reproductive health and reproductive rights, and the Millennium Declaration and the
Millennium Development Goals, in particular the goals on improving maternal health and
promoting gender equality and empowering women, including through the allocation of
necessary domestic resources to health systems and the provision of the necessary
information and health services addressing the sexual and reproductive health of women
and girls;
2.
Requests States and other relevant actors to give renewed emphasis to
maternal mortality and morbidity initiatives in their development partnerships and
cooperation arrangements, including by honouring existing commitments and considering
new ones, and the exchange of effective practices and technical assistance to strengthen
national capacities, and to integrate a human rights-based perspective into such initiatives,
addressing the impact that discrimination against women has on maternal mortality and
morbidity;
3.
Encourages States and other relevant stakeholders, including national human
rights institutions and non-governmental organizations, to take action at all levels to address
the interlinked root causes of maternal mortality and morbidity, such as poverty,
malnutrition, harmful practices, lack of accessible and appropriate health-care services,
information and education, and gender inequality, and to pay particular attention to
eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls;
4.
Welcomes the technical guidance on the application of a human rights-based
approach to the implementation of policies and programmes to reduce preventable maternal
mortality and morbidity, and calls upon all relevant actors, including Governments,
regional organizations, relevant United Nations agencies, national human rights institutions,
and civil society organizations to disseminate the technical guidance and apply it, as
appropriate, when designing, implementing and reviewing policies and evaluating
programmes to reduce preventable maternal mortality and morbidity;
5.
Calls upon all relevant United Nation agencies to provide technical
cooperation and assistance to States, as requested, to support the implementation of the
technical guidance;
6.
Encourages the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights to bring the technical guidance to the attention of the Secretary-General and all
United Nations entities with mandates relevant to maternal mortality and morbidity and
human rights, and to continue dialogue on the issue of preventable maternal mortality and
1
2
A/HRC/21/22 and Corr. 1 and 2.